Texas Revolution/Transcript
Transcript Text reads: The Mysteries of Life with Tim and Moby. Country music plays. Moby is looking at Texas vacation pictures of himself and Tim on his tablet. An image is shown of Moby eating some of Tim's pork chop, and Tim eating some of Moby's bacon. Both of them are standing in front of the Texas State Capitol in Austin. An image is shown of Tim and Moby locked in combat, using barbecued ribs as swords, in front of the George W. Bush Presidential Library in University Park. An image is shown of Tim and Moby in front of the Space Center in Houston. Tim is balancing a plate piled with pork chops, barbecued chicken, barbecued ribs, briskets, and a rack of ribs. An image is shown of Tim and Moby in front of the USS Lexington in Corpus Christi. They are holding an oversized ham. Barbecue sauce splashes on the tablet. Moby and Tim are sitting at a picnic table at an outdoor barbecue restaurant. Both are wearing bibs with an image of Texas on them. Text on each bib reads: Don't mess. Tim is eating a large helping of barbecue from the placemat in front of him. TIM: Oh, man. I feel fatter than a boardinghouse cat. MOBY: Beep. Moby looks confused. TIM: It's an old Texas saying, my friend. Anyway, what's the next stop on our Lone Star barbecue tour? Moby sets his tablet aside and unfolds a map. He points at a huge sheet of paper that was folded up within the map. MOBY: Beep. TIM: That's a letter? I guess everything really is bigger in Texas. Tim reads from the typed letter. TIM: Dear Tim and Moby, Why is Texas nicknamed the Lone Star State? From, Elena TIM: Hi, Elena. You may have noticed that Texas's flag has a single, or lone, star. An animation shows a Texas flag, flapping in the wind. It has a single star on a patch of blue, along with a white stripe and a red one. TIM: It symbolizes the state's fierce sense of independence. That big ol' star signals that Texas proudly does things its own way. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Many Texans think of their state almost like a separate nation. An image appears on Moby's tablet of Tim and Moby in a souvenir shop, wearing Texas T-shirts. TIM: And with their history, who can blame them? For a while, it actually was a separate nation! MOBY: Beep. TIM: Texas started out as a territory of Mexico. A map shows the location of Texas, between northern Mexico and the southern United States. TIM: It was a thinly populated area, and Mexico wanted to attract settlers. An animation shows a hot desert, with cactuses, mesas, and tumbleweeds. TIM: So, in the 1820s, they leased huge tracts of land to private citizens. These empresarios would bring in families and run things on behalf of the Mexican government. One of the most successful was an American businessman named Stephen Austin. A sign appears in the desert. It reads: For Rent. Stephen Austin appears, holding a land grant. He whistles and summons settlers in covered wagons. MOBY: Beep. TIM: He helped bring in lots of Texians, as these early settlers were called. They were mostly Americans seeking a fresh start. Some were running from trouble, debts, failed marriages, or even the law. An animation shows Austin welcoming a family of settlers. TIM: Others were just attracted by the cheap land. MOBY: Beep. TIM: In exchange for property, Texians agreed to become Mexican citizens. But as their numbers swelled, the Mexican government got kind of nervous. An animation show a Texian settlement becoming larger and larger, as a Mexican government official looks out his office window with concern. TIM: The U.S. had already taken over Indian land across the South and Midwest. The Mexican official walks from his office window into his office. He examines a map of the U.S. and Mexico. At that time, Mexico covered much of what would soon become the southwestern U.S., including Texas. TIM: Fearing an impending dispute over Texas, Mexico made the first move. MOBY: Beep. TIM: They passed the Law of April 6, 1830 banning American immigration. The Mexican official sits at his desk and writes down the law Tim describes. TIM: It also taxed American goods and banned the import of new slaves. Images represent the provisions of the law. TIM: That was a big problem for Texians running cotton plantations. An animation shows two plantation managers examining the law. They appear irritated. TIM: When Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was elected president in 1833, things grew even tenser. An animation shows the festive inauguration of Santa Anna. He stands on a balcony, waving to a crowd. MOBY: Beep. TIM: He nullified the constitution and declared himself president for life. Santa Anna tears a copy of the Mexican constitution in half. A camera flashes, and a newspaper's front page shows Santa Anna tearing apart the constitution. Its headline reads: El Dictador, or, The Dictator. TIM: Texians could see that a fight was brewing. But they couldn't agree on how to handle the situation. An animation shows two Texians examining the newspaper, alarmed. MOBY: Beep. TIM: One group was determined to join the United States. One of the Texians sets down his newspaper and holds up a sign that reads: Unite with the States. TIM: Others wanted to fight and become an independent nation. The other Texian sets down his newspaper and picks up a rifle. A man at a nearby newsstand sees this and closes up his stand. TIM: Some just hoped to protect their land and livelihoods. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Texians weren’t the only ones alarmed by Santa Anna's power grab. A Texian stands atop the closed newsstand. He is holding a protest sign and addressing an angry, armed mob. TIM: Some Indians and Tejanos, native-born Mexicans, weren't too happy about it, either. The people Tim names stand a short distance from the mob, looking worried. TIM: But these groups hadn't been treated very well by the Texians, so they weren't too eager to join the American's cause. The Indians and Tejanos walk slowly away from the protesting Texians. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Hoping to sort things out with Santa Anna, Austin went to Mexico City. An animation shows Austin meeting with Santa Anna in Santa Anna's office. TIM: But Santa Anna wasn't really interested. Santa Anna pushes a button on his desk. A cage drops from the ceiling and imprisons Austin. TIM: He tossed Austin in jail and led an army into Texas. Soldiers enter Santa Anna's office. He points toward the direction he wants them to march. TIM: He was going to force his rowdy subjects to obey the law. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Yep. Now it was an open conflict. Sam Houston took command of the Texian resistance. He was a veteran from the War of 1812 and a friend of President Jackson. But his troops were just volunteers with little training or supplies. An animation shows Sam Houston on horseback. He shouts orders through a megaphone, as his ragtag army marches by. They are dressed in regular civilian clothes and carry an array of random weapons including a rifle, pitchfork, revolver, and sword. They bump and jostle each other as they go. TIM: His orders weren't taken seriously and were often even ignored. MOBY: Beep. TIM: They were a stark contrast to Santa Anna's army. His forces were unified, disciplined, and experienced. An animation shows Santa Anna on horseback, leading a large, well-equipped, and well-disciplined army. TIM: Houston knew it would be suicide to engage in direct battle. He needed time to train and equip his army first. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, Santa Anna was already on the warpath. In late February of 1836, his troops surrounded the Alamo, a Texian military fort. An animation shows Santa Anna and his troops surrounding the Alamo. TIM: Houston wasn't around. The fort was under the command of William Travis. Santa Anna's troops outnumbered them 25 to 1. An animation shows William Travis and his men atop the Alamo, looking at the surrounding troops. TIM: He declared that no Texian would be left alive. The Texians wave a flag that reads: Victory or Death. Gunshots ring out, and holes cover the flag. Only the word Death remains on the flag. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Over two long weeks, Travis's men fended off attacks. An animation shows Travis and his men atop the Alamo, exchanging gunfire with Santa Anna's troops below. TIM: Then, on March 6, Mexican soldiers finally breached the fort's walls. Santa Anna's troops force their way into the Alamo. TIM: Santa Anna was true to his word: He killed every Texian soldier. The Texians all lie dead on the ground as the Alamo smolders in the background. TIM: The Battle of Alamo was a disastrous defeat for the rebels, and it marked a crucial turning point. MOBY: Beep. TIM: About 150 miles to the east, Texian leaders were meeting at the Convention of 1836. An animation shows the convention that Tim describes. TIM: As news of the Alamo trickled in, they declared their independence. One Texian leader holds up a document declaring independence, and the rest cheer. TIM: The Republic of Texas was born. An image shows the seal of the Republic of Texas, a wreath of green surrounding a single five-pointed star. TIM: Texian rebels, now Texans, had a newfound sense of unity. But Santa Anna still had the better army, and he used it ruthlessly. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Just a few weeks later, he executed 400 prisoners of war. An animation shows a firing squad preparing to execute several blindfolded prisoners. TIM: Their bodies were piled up, burned, and left to the vultures. An animation shows a burning pile of dead bodies in silhouette, with a vulture circling overhead. TIM: Some settlers fled back to the United States after the Goliad Massacre. But those who remained were galvanized by the general's cruelty. MOBY: Beep. TIM: The rebels now had a powerful weapon: hunger for revenge. An animation shows Sam Houston atop a horse, holding a newspaper. The newspaper's headline reads: Massacre at Goliad. Other armed Texans stand around him, cheering. TIM: Texans began to rally around Houston and turn the tide of the war. It all came to a head at the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21. An animated map shows the location of the Battle of San Jacinto, just south of the San Jacinto River. Graphics represent the Mexican and Texan forces. MOBY: Beep. TIM: The two factions were camped less than half a mile apart. Santa Anna's troops were sleeping after a long march. An animation shows the Mexican tents. The sound of snoring is coming from inside of them. TIM: They were jolted awake by gunfire, and shouts of, Remember the Alamo, and, Remember Goliad. Texan troops attack the sleeping camp, firing their guns and setting the tents on fire. TIM: Santa Anna was literally caught with his pants down. An animation shows Santa Anna wearing pajamas and peeking out of his tent at the attack. A moment later, he runs for safety. TIM: The battle was over in minutes, and he was captured the next day. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Embarrassed by the loss, Mexico ordered the rest of their army home. The defeated general was left to bargain for his own life. An animation shows Santa Anna in jail. Sam Houston stands outside the cell. The two stare angrily at each other. TIM: After weeks of negotiations, he signed the Treaties of Velasco. Prisoners on both sides were freed, including Santa Anna. But only on the condition that he'd convince Mexico to recognize the Republic of Texas. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Nope. Officials in Mexico refused to accept treaties made by a prisoner. An animation shows Santa Anna offering a document to other Mexican authorities, and being refused. One authority takes the document, crumples it up, and tosses it aside. TIM: Mexican generals assumed they would try to recapture Texas. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Texas started to look and feel more like the United States. Thousands more Americans arrived and enlisted in its army. While hundreds of Tejano families moved to Mexico. A map shows Mexico, the Republic of Texas, and the United States. A Lone Star flag is raised above Texas, and covered wagons bring more settlers there from the U.S. At the same time, other covered wagons move Tejanos from Texas to Mexico. TIM: Some were forced out as American settlers took over their land. At the border with Mexico, there were constant clashes. MOBY: Beep. TIM: The republic elected Sam Houston as its first president in 1836. Less than a decade later, Texas joined the U.S. as the 28th state. A map of the Republic of Texas and Mexico features both the Lone Star flag and the American flag flying over Texas. TIM: And that touched off the Mexican-American War. Animated explosions go off at the Texas-Mexico border. MOBY: Beep. TIM: I told you there's more to the Lone Star State than brisket and ribs! Tim grabs a big piece of barbecue from the mat in front of him and takes a bite. TIM: Then again, this is the best barbecue in the world. Anyone who says different is crazier than a Junebug in a henhouse! MOBY: Beep. Tim returns to his chewing. Moby opens a book titled: Learn Texan in Thirty Days. TIM: What I'm saying is, if a hen dips snuff, look under the wing for the can. A chicken crosses the table in front of them. MOBY: Beep. Moby gets up and runs after the clucking chicken. Tim looks confused. Category:BrainPOP Transcripts Category:BrainPOP Social Studies Transcripts